Toy figurine having alternative movement configurations

Abstract

A toy figurine comprising a body, one or more appendages movably connected to the body, and a selector attached to the body. The selector is configurable between a disengaged setting and an engaged setting. Setting the selector to the disengaged setting causes the one or more appendages to be positioned in a default configuration and limited to movement within a first range of motion. Setting the selector to the engaged setting causes the one or more appendages to be positioned in an engaged configuration and limited to movement within a second range of motion.

1 . A toy figurine comprising:
 a body having a front, a back, a first side, and a second side opposite to the first side;   one or more appendages movably connected to the body;   a drive means within the body that imparts movement to the one or more appendages;   an actuator positioned on the first side of the body and operably connected to the drive means;   a side button positioned on the second side of the body, wherein pressing the side button activates a preprogrammed sound or light effect on the toy figurine;   an external selector attached to the back of the body, the selector configurable between a disengaged setting and an engaged setting, wherein:
 setting the selector to the disengaged setting causes the one or more appendages to be (a) positioned in a default configuration and (b) limited to movement within a first range of motion; and 
 setting the selector to the engaged setting causes the one or more appendages to be (a) positioned in an engaged configuration and (b) limited to movement within a second range of motion; 
   wherein operating the actuator when the selector is in the disengaged setting causes the one or more appendages to move within the first range of motion and operating the actuator when the selector is in the engaged setting causes the one or more appendages to move within the second range of motion.   
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The toy figurine of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a first indentation and a second indentation, and the selector includes a tab that engages the first indentation when the selector is set to the disengaged setting and engages the second indentation when the selector is set to the engaged setting. 
     
     
         5 . The toy figurine of  claim 1 , wherein positioning the selector in the engaged setting partially restricts the drive means in moving the one or more appendages. 
     
     
         6 . The toy figurine of  claim 5 , wherein the selector includes a protrusion, and setting the selector to the engaged setting causes the protrusion to be positioned such that the drive means is partially restricted in moving the one or more appendages. 
     
     
         7 . The toy figurine of  claim 1 , wherein the first range of motion is greater than the second range of motion. 
     
     
         8 . The toy figurine of  claim 7 , wherein the second range of motion is a portion of the first range of motion. 
     
     
         9 . The toy figurine of  claim 1  further comprising a toy packaging including a rod positioned to be inserted into an opening on the body of the toy figurine, wherein inserting the rod into the opening keeps the selector in the disengaged or engaged setting until the rod is removed from the opening. 
     
     
         10 . A toy figurine comprising:
 a torso having a front, a back, a first side, and a second side opposite to the first side;   one or more limbs movably connected to the torso;   an actuator positioned on the first side of the torso, the actuator operably connected to a drive means within the torso that moves the one or more limbs;   a side button positioned on the second side of the torso, wherein pressing the side button towards the torso activates a preprogrammed sound or light effect on the toy figurine;   an external selector slidably attached to the back of the torso, the selector slidable between a disengaged setting and an engaged setting, wherein:
 sliding the selector to the disengaged setting (a) causes the one or more limbs to be positioned in a default configuration and (b) pressing the actuator towards the torso causes the one or more limbs to move in a first range of motion and releasing the pressed actuator allows the one or more limbs to return to the default configuration; and 
 sliding the selector to the engaged setting (a) causes the one or more limbs to be positioned in an engaged configuration and (b) pressing the actuator towards the torso causes the one or more limbs to move in a second range of motion and releasing the pressed actuator allows the one or more limbs to return to the engaged configuration. 
   
     
     
         11 . The toy figurine of  claim 10 , wherein the first range of motion is greater than the second range of motion. 
     
     
         12 . The toy figurine of  claim 11 , wherein the second range of motion is a portion of the first range of motion. 
     
     
         13 . The toy figurine of  claim 10 , wherein sliding the selector to the engaged setting partially restricts the drive means in moving the one or more limbs. 
     
     
         14 . The toy figurine of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more limbs are two legs pivotally connected to the torso. 
     
     
         15 . The toy figurine of  claim 14 , wherein each leg comprises a thigh section and further wherein the default configuration is a running position in which the two thigh sections are angled in opposite directions from each other. 
     
     
         16 . The toy figurine of  claim 14 , wherein the engaged configuration is a standing position in which the two legs are coplanar with the torso. 
     
     
         17 . The toy figurine of  claim 14 , wherein operating the actuator causes the two legs to pivot in a simulated running motion. 
     
     
         18 . A method of providing multiple movement configurations to a toy figurine, the method comprising:
 providing a toy figurine comprising:
 a body; 
 one or more appendages movably connected to the body; 
 an actuator operably connected to a drive means within the body that moves the one or more appendages; and 
 a selector attached to the body, the selector configurable between a disengaged setting and an engaged setting; 
   wherein:
 setting the selector to the disengaged setting (a) causes the one or more appendages to be positioned in a default configuration and (b) operating the actuator causes the one or more appendages to move within a first range of motion; and 
 setting the selector to the engaged setting (a) causes the one or more appendages to be positioned in an engaged configuration and (b) operating the actuator causes the one or more appendages to move within a second range of motion. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further providing a first indentation and a second indentation in the body and a tab on the selector, wherein the tab engages the first indentation when the selector is set to the disengaged setting and the tab engages the second indentation when the selector is set to the engaged setting. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further providing a protrusion on the selector, wherein setting the selector to the engaged setting causes the protrusion to be positioned such that the drive means is partially restricted in moving the one or more appendages.